Review: The Frenchman by Lesley Young

 

 

Title: The Frenchman 

Author: Lesley Young

Series: Jet-setters & Jeopardy 

Publisher: L.A.Y Books

Format: ebook

Genre: Romance | Contemporary 

Goodreads

 

 

Fleur Smithers rarely veers off the straight and (excruciatingly) narrow. So moving to the seaport town of Toulon to live with her newfound biological mother—an inspector with the French National Police—for one year is a pretty major detour.

Son of France’s crime royalty family and international rugby star, Louis Messette, is devoted to his sport, famille and nothing else. But the saucy American he meets one night changes everything. She sparks a desire in him like no other. Possession takes root. She will do as he commands.

Bit by bit Fleur slips into the Frenchman’s realm of wanton pleasure agreeing to his one condition: that she keep their affair secret. She serves up her heart without reservation in the hub of the glittering Côte d’Azur, and the along the soulful Seine in Paris, unaware of the danger she is in. For her new lover’s “family business” will pit her against her mother, the police woman sworn to bring down the Messettes. And by then, far more than Fleur’s heart will be on the line.

 

 

My thoughts:

I just had to get my hands on this after reading the summary. Sexy, french rugby player who just happens to be part of a family of crime-doers? And on top of that, the love interest's mother is an inspector. Cue intense friction of both the hot and awkward kind. Yes, please.

Unfortunately that's pretty much all the read did for me. Don't get me wrong, that side of the read was great and all but of course, a girl needs more than that right? It was missing a lot of substance I felt.

I really liked the settings of the story. Fleur is just getting to know the mother she's only just met who happens to be French, so there are some pretty nice descriptions of French people and places that I enjoyed. I would have loved to have read more about it actually, especially the authors take on the people.

As far as the plot went, sometimes it didn't make sense to me. Either that or I'm missing something. At times I felt like I'd missed a chapter or two because things would either move too fast or they came out of the blue and confused me. Especially the ending. I didn't really understand what Fleur meant by what she said and did, and what Louis' eventual response means to her. I don't know…I prefer things to be a lot more clear cut I guess.

Same goes for the characters. I just didn't connect with them and that kind of made me feel meh about pretty much everything. Fleur could be pretty annoying at times, especially at the beginning of the book. She did develop a lot throughout the read which I loved but overall, she didn't come across as the strongest character ever. I did, however, find Fleur and Louis' relationship to be the small aspect of the story that kept me reading. They worked well together.

Overall I just didn't get on well with this one. I took it for what it was and enjoyed what I could, but it just wasn't for me.

My rating: 4/10

About Lesley Young:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

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Review: Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari

Title: Artichoke Hearts

Author: Sita Brahmachari

Series: N/A

Publisher: MacMillan

Format: Paperback | 336 pages

Genre: Children's | YA | Contemporary

Goodreads

Mira Levenson's family is always chaotic - with a little brother and baby sister, busy parents and her artistic, outspoken grandma. She loves them all, but sometimes it feels like nothing is private and there's nowhere for Mira to just be herself. And the thing is…Mira does have secrets - her beloved Nana Josie is dying, she's drifting away from her best friend, and she can't stop thinking about mysterious, confident Jide Jackson, who is definitely keeping some secrets of his own.

Everything's spinning out of control…can Mira let someone into her heart when it feels like it's about to break?

My thoughts:

Told from 12 year old Mira's point of view, Artichoke Hearts is a coming of age story focusing on a young girl's thoughts and feelings as she waits for her grandmother to die.

I don't usually read books like this one. I was a little apprehensive when I saw that the main character is so much younger than me. Not that I don't read books with teens as the protagonists, it is in most YA, but Mira is young even for most YA. I was unsure, but I just decided to give it a go anyway.

As the book went on I liked Mira more and more. She was very down to earth, especially with what her character was going through, and her thoughts about her experiences were something every reader should relate to in some way. I loved how realistic the character's reactions to everything were - there were no huge breakdowns and 'how will I live after this' kind of attitude, it was all reasonable reactions that would happen to everyone. In a way, that made it all the more emotional.

I thought the book had a pretty slow start. It seemed so different in the beginning too, there was so much focus on art and all that good stuff and then things suddenly took a depressing turn. I realise that's how it should be, but I thought there wasn't really a transition in between. It kind of jumped from Nana Josie still being so enthusiastic to do whatever she needs to, and then next thing you know she's in a hospice. Yes, things can happen that quickly, but the way it read just didn't sit right with me.

There was a huge variation in characters which I adored. Every character, whether they played a huge part or not, made a really big difference to the story. There were characters that were only mentioned once or twice and they still managed to make my heart hurt. Whether I enjoyed the story or not, an author who can give a character that depth is very talented.

All in all I really liked this read. It was a little slow at times but the characters were wonderful and the plot was very touching. I would definitely recommend it.

My rating: 7/10

Sita Brahmachari:

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Review: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: 10 May 2012

Format: Paperback | 272 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary

Goodreads

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.

On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a blood-thirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun - but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

My thoughts:

After being dumped by his 19th girlfriend, all of whom were named Katherine, Colin is persuaded by best friend Hassan to go on a road trip to take his mind off his heartbreak. Being the prodigy he is, Colin is on a mission to save everyone the trouble of relationship break ups by creating a formula to predict who will be the dumper and who will be the dumpee.

What I liked most about this read was that it constantly had me laughing, either that or it left me with a huge grin on my face. There was just something about the characters that got to me. Colin's so clever and yet he manages to be so clueless about a whole lot of things, especially relationships. Hassan just has these great one liners that never failed to make me crack up laughing. Colin was cute but Hassan was just downright hilarious.

The plot to this book is pretty simple. It's all about character development, friendship and a little bit of romance thrown in. It's all carried by the characters in my opinion. With such brilliant characters who are truly great friends, you can't help but wish them to figure out where they're going and to make the best of what they've got. And they do. There was a very realistic ending that left a lot open to the imagination but the characters had gotten to where they needed to be. I thought the ending was perfect.

 

I do think that this book would be a hit and miss with a lot of people. I can imagine Hassan and Colin getting on some people's nerves if they're not into books that don't have such a clear direction.

 

Generally I really enjoyed this read, aside from it being a little slow at times, I loved how awkward it was and the situations the characters got into really did make me laugh. It was a good time.

 

My rating: 8/10

 

 John Green:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Title: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Series: N/A

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: May 2010

Format: ebook | 352 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary 

Goodreads

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident.

 

 

My thoughts:

Following her father's death, Amy's family moves to Connecticut for a fresh start, but because of money troubles, Amy's mother decides she has to drive there with a friend's son, Roger. Amy's mother sets the route, books the hotels and hands over her credit card, but Amy and Roger are disappointed to see that the route set isn't one that inspires any sense of adventure…they decide to liven things up a little.

This was a great, feel good read. I really enjoyed it. I've only read a couple of books with a road trip as the main focus but it seems to be a really great way to tell a story. Especially for characters that have to get to know one another and maybe even themselves again - plenty of time to be left alone with your thoughts, close quarters with more or less a stranger and lots of things that can go wrong.

I loved how gentle the story was. Matson really took her time with the characters I think, I felt like I really got to know them. Amy was very vulnerable and the trip was her way of getting a little bit of her old self back but it took a lot of time. Nothing in this read was rushed, not one thing - not the friendships, not the romance and definitely not the closure of all the characters involved.

The characters were beyond lovely. I don't know why I'm using that word to describe them, but it seems to fit them perfectly. They gave each other so much space at first because they each had their own problems. I adored how they took their time to get to know each other, because really, doesn't it just make sense that way? Who rushes into any kind of relationship? Even of the friendly sort. 

 

I also thought it ended in such a lovely manner. It might have annoyed me if the read was any different, but I loved the fact that it was an open ending. It wasn't a bad ending in the sense that nothing was resolved - things were resolved and it ended on a good note, but it was also open to interpretation a little. I thought that for characters who had a long way to go, it would have been hypocritical in a way to end the book with full description of where the characters are going to end up and where they all stand with each other. Like Amy's mother for example, I would have liked to see how things between Amy and her changed, but I also knew that they had a hell of a lot to work out. Seeing them work it out in a couple of pages wouldn't have sit well with me I think. It was a great way to end the book.

 

Overall I loved this read and I don't have a bad thing to say about it. Not one. I'm definitely going to keep watching this author.

 

My rating: 10/10 

 

Morgan Matson:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Review: The Girlfriend Request by Jodie Andrefski

Title: The Girlfriend Request

Author: Jodie Andrefski

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled: Crush

Publication date: January 11th 2016

Format: Kindle | 267 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary | Romance

Goodreads

Updating best friend to girlfriend is more than a change of status...

Emma has been best friends with Eli since she moved to his neighborhood ten years ago. Tired of being cast in the role of the girl next door, Emma creates a fake Facebook profile in the hopes of starting an online friendship with Eli, which would hopefully lead to more. Like...way more. From friend request to In a Relationship--it all seemed so completely logical when she'd planned it.

Eli can't figure out what Emma is up to. He’s pretty sure she's the one behind the Facebook profile, but then again, why would she do something so drastic instead of just admitting she wants to be more than friends? And who the heck is this new guy he saw her with? Eli starts to think that just maybe...he missed his chance with the girl next door.

Two best friends, one outlandish ruse. Their status is about to become way more than It’s Complicated...
This Entangled Teen Crush book contains one fake Facebook profile, two best friends who secretly crave each other, and a dreaded sex talk with parents...boy crush in the room included. Pushing a relationship beyond the friend zone has never been so crazy...

My thoughts:

I always pick up books like this and end up saying exactly the same things about them. I don't know why I bother sometimes, but for some reason, silly little cliched romances are my 'in-between books' kind of reads. They always put me in a good mood even if I know what's going to happen and the cliches are enough to get anyone rolling their eyes. I think it mostly boils down to not taking them seriously and just going with it. Pretend to live in a world where best friends always fall in love in the cutest way and nothing serious ever happens. Life is so much less complicated. At least for a few hours until you're at the last page and reality checks right back in.

This read was pretty much the same deal as other feel good reads. There's a girl, who's best friends with a guy, she falls for said guy, and tries weird ways to get him to notice her as more than a friend without telling him directly. The only difference with this one was the guy notices and figures it out straight away. I appreciated that too because what best friend wouldn't notice something was going on?

I liked Eli and Emma. They worked as friends and they worked as a couple. Emma was a sweet girl and Eli was so cute - if he was real, I would pinch his cheeks. Don't judge me.

This read was still totally predictable and it was still chocked full of cliches, right up until the very end. But all that aside, it was a sweet, cutesy and quick read that I enjoyed.

I will say Emma got a little annoying towards the middle of the read. She had so many signs that I think anybody in reality would notice - like you would notice a big red flag in front of your face right? Emma was just a teensy bit of an idiot for not going for it at that point. But whatever.

All in all I liked this read for what it is. It's not an emotional roller coaster - it won't make you cry and it probably won't even make you laugh but it's nice for just getting away from reality for a little while and that's what reading is all about.

My rating: 6/10

Jodie Andrefski:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Review: The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone

Title: The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss

Author: Max Wirestone

Series: N/A

Publisher: Redhook

Publication date: 10/20/2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley | 320 pages

Genre: Humour | Mystery | Contemporary 

Goodreads

For fans of The Guild, New Girl, Scott Pilgrim, Big Bang Theory, Veronica Mars, or anyone who has ever geeked out about something.


The odds of Dahlia successfully navigating adulthood are 3,720 to 1. But never tell her the odds.

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. Unemployed broke, and on her last bowl of ramen, she's not living her best life. But that's all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own she's offered a job. A job that she's woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).

Turns out unfortunate decisions abound, and she's just the girl to deal with them.

 

 

My thoughts:

Well this was different.

I found myself drawn to this read purely based off the summary alone. The protagonist sounded quirky and after reading a book that made me sob for longer than I would have liked, I needed something to make me gigle. Well giggle I did…abundantly.

I liked this read, if only for the ridiculousness that is peppered throughout. Dahlia Moss is unemployed, broke and somehow has managed to become a fake detective. Her first case? Solve the mystery of the missing 'Bejewelled Spear of Infinite Piercing'. If she happens to come across the murderer of the owner of said spear then that's another problem solved in the many that complicate Dahlia's life.

 

Dahlia was funny. Her inner monologue always had me smiling and her interactions with other characters were the most awkward encounters that were filled with strange personalities and eccentricities. 

 

I loved how the plot led to the most bizarre mystery solving I've come across so far. It was hilarious how Dahlia figured things out almost by accident and how the other characters just stood by and accepted the fact that she's not actually a detective. It was as if everyone understood that she needed to do her thing and consequently ignored her most of the time. Hardly anyone gave up any information and Dahlia seemed to trip over most of the clues. It was hilarious. 

 

I have to say though, the number of characters involved in this book got me really confused. Add that to the fact that most of the characters have two names - one for real life and the other for an online username, it was a little too much. 

 

That also led me to not liking a number of characters. Some, I just felt there was no need for and some I just didn't get. Dahlia only had the one friend, her flatmate, in the beginning and then all of a sudden there's around a dozen more characters constantly around her. I didn't think there was a need for it.

 

I would have also have liked a little more depth when it came to Dahlia's personal life. I wanted more of Nathan and for that relationship to develop further past the funny, flirty couple of encounters. 

 

All in all I enjoyed this one. I would recommend it for a light hearted read to get you smiling after a bad day.

 

My rating: 7/10

 

Max Wirestone:

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Review: Gambling on the Bodyguard by Sarah Ballance

Title: Gambling on the Bodyguard

Author: Sarah Ballance

Series: What Happens in Vegas #8

Publisher: Entangled: Lovestruck

Publication date: October 12th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary Romance 

Goodreads

He’ll guard her body all night long…

Ski instructor Ellie Montgomery hits Vegas during a romance convention to meet the man of her dreams…only, the man of her dreams isn’t the cover model she’s there to see. He’s the hot-as-sin bodyguard who catches her sneaking in the back door of a meet-and-greet, and he seems more than ready to do what it takes to prove he’s twice the man her pretty boy crush could ever be. 

Jax Mathis couldn’t resist snagging a date with Ellie, but he didn’t count on the attraction being more than physical. They connect on a level he didn’t think possible—and he can’t run fast enough. She makes him want things he thought he’d never have, and maybe, just maybe, they’re within reach. But to have it, he’ll have to face the one mountain he swore he’d never climb...and with no guarantee she’ll be waiting on the other side.

 

 

My thoughts:

I don't really know what to say about this one other than that it was an okay read. It had enough to keep me interested but it wasn't something I would go back to again.

Ballance has a good writing style in my opinion. I enjoyed her writing and it really made the whole romance between the characters something special. It wasn't as simple as two characters making eye contact and then non stop gushing over how hot they both are. The romance meant something and it was believable.

Unfortunately that was where it ended for me. I just didn't understand the ending - it was so disappointing. The story takes place over a couple of days so the characters have no more than a full day and a half together - why did it end like that then? I won't say what happens, but trust me when I say if it ever happens to you…run the other way.

I get that it's a book. It's just a story. But why can't it just end in a way that makes sense with the addition of great writing that the author is capable of? It was like taking the whole book and flushing it down the toilet…not unlike Ellie's ticket in the beginning of the read.

If you enjoy cheesy romances just for a quick read with likeable, well done characters then I do recommend this one. Ballance has a lovely style of writing that makes this book better than most clichéd, fast romances.

My rating: 4/10

Sarah Ballance:

Goodreads | Website

What Happens in Vegas:

1. Tempting Her Best Friend by Gina L. Maxwell
2. The Makeover Mistake by Kathy Lyons
3. A Change of Plans by Robyn Thomas
4. Masquerading with the CEO by Dawn Chartier
5. Just One Reason by Brooklyn Skye
6. Tamed By The Outlaw by Michelle Sharp
7. Tempted by Mr. Write by Sara Hantz
8. Gambling on the Bodyguard by Sarah Ballance

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Review: The Engagement Game by Jenny Holiday

Title: The Engagement Game

Author: Jenny Holiday

Series: 49th Floor #3

Publisher: Entangled: Indulgence

Publication date: Oct 5th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley

Genre: Adult | Contemporary Romance

Goodreads

The black sheep of the old-money Rosemanns, advertising executive Marcus has made his own way in the world—and done extremely well for himself—but his family is still pressuring him to join their investment firm and settle down with a quiet, unobjectionable girl.

Which is why the sexy Rose Verma is the perfect date for his family’s charity ball. A bleeding-heart lefty from the wrong side of the tracks, Rose has never met a stray dog she didn’t love or a polka-dotted mini-dress she couldn’t rock. Marcus has enough dirt on Rose to “convince” her to play along. And if he lets it slip that they’re engaged, all the better. 

But all’s fair in love and blackmail, and Rose is ready to play a few cards of her own…

My thoughts:

This was another one of those books that I finish, find it an okay read, and then promptly forget everything about it shortly after I move on to the next one.

It sounds harsh, but there wasn't anything memorable about this book. It's been done so many times, even down to the details, that it just becomes 'one of those'. They're not necessarily bad reads - some are of course, but this one wasn't - they're just so common that they all seem to blur into one. 

I liked the characters well enough. Rose was quirky and sure of herself, Marcus was strong willed with family issues and the supporting characters were interesting - especially the parents. 

All that aside, I don't really know what else to say. I did have a problem (as usual seems like) with the ending. I've been saying this for a lot of reads lately, but there wasn't enough fight in the end. The whole book is focused on a blossoming relationship and then at the inevitable big obstacle towards the end, a seemingly huge pit that has opened up between them becomes irrelevant and easily crossed. We all know what's going to happen at the end, but I want the way it happens to be something worth reading and not just a couple of pages of 'oh maybe I was wrong'.

My rating: 5/10

Jenny Holiday:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

49th Floor:

1. Saving the CEO
2. Sleeping with Her Enemy
3. The Engagement Game

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Review: Tempted by Mr. Write by Sara Hantz

Title: Tempted by Mr. Write

Author: Sara Hantz

Series: What Happens in Vegas #7

Publisher: Entangled: Lovestruck 

Publication date: September 28th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance

Goodreads

She thought she knew everything about romance. She was wrong.

After losing out on a plum assignment, a romance book conference is the last place journalist Sheridan Farlow wants to be. Love is a myth-like flattering changing room mirrors-and she has the past relationships to prove it. Her editor wants a story? Fine. She'll write an entire exposé...only it doesn't go quite according plan.

Bernard "Mac" Mackenzie is something of an anomaly in the romance-writing world-a man who writes romance and believes in it. And until he met Sheridan, Mac's never felt anything close to the love he writes about. He needs more of her. In his arms, and in his bed.

Their attraction is explosive; even as Sheridan's cynical side battles her growing feelings for Mac. But can she handle writing a biting exposé with an exposed heart on the line?

 

My thoughts:

I feel like this book was more of a novella to a series and I'm missing out on three more books. It was so quick!

I couldn't stand this read from the very beginning. I was hoping for a lot more than a clichéd, Vegas romance with a touch of love at first sight thrown in. Most of the time, I'm all for a cheesy romance with a hunky guy and beautiful-but-doesn't-know-it girl who are thrown together and fall in love, but you know they're going to end up together. That's the thing - you know it's going to happen so that's not why you read the book. It's about how it happens - all the drama, maybe humour and tragedy in between. It's the journey, the character development and the emotions involved. It doesn't matter how clichéd it is, you can still make an incredible story that just happens to have a cliché thrown in.

To be honest, I normally talk about the characters in reviews, just because I really feel they make or break a book. But I can't even tell if I liked this set of characters or not. They were drowned out by the plot which was extremely frustrating. How could I like characters who throw themselves into situations like that? There was no depth to them because all the focus was on this romance that was in no way believable or relatable. 

Harsh, I know. Part of me thinks reading so many books has made me really sensitive to reads like this. Plenty of people would enjoy this book for the author's ability to get straight to the point - it's a quick afternoon, feel good read. It just wasn't for me.

My rating: 1/10

Sara Hantz:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

What Happens in Vegas:

1. Tempting Her Best Friend by Gina L. Maxwell
2. The Makeover Mistake by Kathy Lyons
3. A Change of Plans by Robyn Thomas
4. Masquerading with the CEO by Dawn Chartier
5. Just One Reason by Brooklyn Skye
6. Tamed By The Outlaw by Michelle Sharp
7. Tempted by Mr. Write by Sara Hantz
8. Gambling on the Bodyguard by Sarah Ballance

 

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Review: Lost in Geeklandia by E.J. Russell

Title: Lost in Geeklandia

Author: E.J Russel

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled: Select Contemporary

Publication date: September 28th 2015

Format: Netgalley | Kindle 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance

Goodreads

She has 30 days to turn her enemy into her boyfriend...



Introverted computer engineer Charlie Forrester has coded an algorithm for love, a nearly flawless matchmaking program. But then she's challenged to prove its accuracy - on herself. With her dream job on the line, Charlie has thirty days to forge a romantic relationship with her "perfect" match...her ex-friend and now-nemesis, Daniel Shawn. Since her dating experience is expressed in binary, she'll need more than flirting lessons and a wardrobe overhaul to pull it off.

After falling victim to the same online matchmaking con he was investigating, reporter Daniel Shawn's professional reputation went up in flames. Now he suspects someone has rebooted the scam, and he's determined to expose the fraud and rebuild his career. Unfortunately, his efforts to get back in the game get sidetracked by Charlie and her adorable geekitude, even though she seems to know a little too much about digital dating for Daniel's comfort.

And when fake romance crosses into real chemistry, Charlie's formula for love might just be the perfect formula for disaster...

 

 

My thoughts:

I was a little disappointed with this read. I liked it well enough, but I wanted a lot more considering the potential the plot has. 

I liked how driven Charlie was in terms of knowing what she wants and how to get it. She had her career all figured out and all she needed was a little push to get the rest of the way. She had no need for any outside help and when she eventually came across a huge obstacle in her way, she had no problem getting stuck in to get it out of her way so she could move on. I liked that - it wasn't necessarily a good character trait at times, but it gave her this strength that came apparent throughout the read. She knew when to apologise and when to backtrack and do the right thing which might not result in an outcome that's in her favour. She made a decision and stuck with it - there was no point in the read where Charlie was indecisive and it fit with the computer data aspect of the read. 

However, where Charlie came across as the strong, independent woman, Daniel came across as totally the opposite. At first, by Charlie, he was portrayed as this ruthless reporter that follows the facts - I saw none of that. I understand that Charlie was exaggerating her opinion of him based off of her past, but I wanted some of that drive in Daniel too. He was too much of a good guy.

That brings me to what I really didn't like about this book. I wanted so much more of a fight than there actually was. Daniel didn't fight for Charlie, Charlie didn't fight for Daniel and none of the supporting characters had anything to do with the eventual romance. There was no 'push' from them. 

For such a determined character, Charlie sure backed down awfully quickly and settled with the idea that Daniel would never speak to her again - where did all of that fire go? And Daniel was the same. He wasn't especially feisty to begin with, but he changed his mind in a single moment and it bugged me.

All in all I thought this read was okay. It had the outcome I expected and I enjoyed the humour involved, but in the end, it all happened too easily for me to believe in it.

My rating: 5/10

E.J. Russell:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

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Review: Finding Perfect by Kendra C. Highley

Title: Finding Perfect 

Author: Kendra C. Highley

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled Crush

Publication date: September 14th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley 

Genre: YA | Contemporary 

Goodreads

How far will you go for perfection? 

For “Perfect Paige” Westfield, today is “D” Day. As in, she just got one on her calculus test. With her dreams of Stanford, her reputation, and her parents’ expectations at stake, Paige needs to find a way to save face before everything she’s worked for goes up in flames.

Ben Franklin (yes, he’s related) is from the wrong side of town, with the wrong clothes and the wrong kind of life. He also knows an opportunity when he sees one, and he’ll be happy to tutor Paige—if she makes him into the kind of guy her best friend, the hottest girl in school, will date.

It’s the perfect arrangement. And Paige is determined not even the inconvenient—and utterly imperfect—attraction simmering between her and Ben will ruin it…

My thoughts:

Paige is an amazing student with dreams of following in her Daddy's footsteps and becoming a neurologist and taking over the practice - easy right? Understandably Paige is stressed out to no end and a 'D' in calculus is the last thing she needed. Enter Ben, also a brilliant student, in need a bit of money. Wanting a new experience before he's off to college, Ben offers to tutor Paige in exchange for an introduction to Paige's best friend Zoey.

I loved how feisty Paige was. She wouldn't let anyone stand in the way of what she wanted and she worked so hard to get there. She had a goal in mind and she just wanted to charge ahead and achieve it without any distractions.

I did think Paige kind of lost that aspect throughout the read - it was understandable considering the direction the read was taking but I really wanted to see more of it because she was just awesome. I wanted her to stay true to herself and go for what she wanted in the end instead of just letting someone else handle it. She strayed too much from the character she started out as I think.

Ben was sweet. He was the opposite to Paige in the sense that he didn't know what he wanted. The book basically followed Paige and Ben both realising what they want throughout the read - Ben by finding romance and Paige by realising she is following everybody else and their plan instead of her own.

I thought the plot of the book was relatable in a lot of ways, and it made for an all round feel good read that I enjoyed. I liked the way things went down and the ending was satisfying. I really wanted more Ben and Paige time though.

My rating: 7/10

Kendra C. Highley:

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Review: Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru by Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Series: Creative Hearts #1

Publisher: Entangled Crush

Publication date: September 14th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley | 245 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary 

Goodreads

When life gives you a blank canvas, make art.

Sloane Whitaker hates everything about moving to Texas. She hates leaving behind her friends and half her family in New York, starting over senior year at Austin’s NextGen Academy, and having to say she lives in Texas. Most of all, she hates that it’s all her fault. If she wants to earn her way back to the Big Apple, she has to prove she can still be the perfect daughter.

Which means no vandalism art, no trouble at school, and absolutely no Tru Dorsey, her serial screw-up neighbor, who loves nothing more than pushing her buttons.

But from the moment he vaults onto the roof outside her bedroom, there is something about him that makes her want to break every rule. Suddenly it’ s not the ten things she hates about Tru that are at the top of her list. It’s the ten reasons she doesn’t want to be without him. 

 

 

My thoughts:

 

After making a huge mistake which led to her being arrested, Sloane packs up her stuff and moves to Texas - with only half of her family. Thinking that the family split is her fault, Sloane is willing to do whatever it takes to move back home to New York and getting involved with bad boy Tru is not on that list. 

 

I liked this read. Sloane was a relatable character. She wasn't too over the top with her crazy antics like a lot of characters - she made a mistake a lot of teens could end up making and got caught. Sloane actually tries in this book. She is trying to make it up to her mother who has to get a new job, rent a new house, and be away from her husband and son for an entire year. Sloane basically has respect for her parents, despite their mistakes, which isn't something that's emphasised in YA nowadays. 

 

I felt the same about Tru. He wasn't the 'bad boy' I thought he would be going into this read. I thought he would be up to all sorts and constantly get Sloane into trouble but it was obvious from the start that he was seriously misunderstood. He didn't really do anything wrong throughout the whole book and what he did wrong was understandable considering his situation. Tru, like Sloane, was also a really relatable character. He was stuck somewhere he really didn't want to be, with people he really didn't want to be around, and through all of that, he stayed true to himself and was generally a really sweet guy. I thought he was a really strong character.

 

What I would have loved to have seen from this read though, is a slightly more complicated plot. It was pretty obvious what was going to happen with Tru and Sloane so the main plot wasn't about romance but this very  juvenile high school drama that slowly led to people being expelled from a great art school. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy it, but for a read with such mature, understanding characters, I wanted something that reflected that and it didn't do them justice. 

 

That aside, I enjoyed this book just from the characters alone. I would love to read more from this series.

 

My rating: 7/10

 

Tera Lynn Childs:

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Creative Hearts:

1. Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru
2. N/A

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Review: Blackmail Boyfriend by Chris Cannon

Title: Blackmail Boyfriend

Author: Chris Cannon

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled Publishing | Crush

Publication date: August 10th 2015

Format: Kindle | 267 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary 

Goodreads

Sometimes, blackmail is the only weapon a girl has...

Haley Patterson has had a crush on golden boy Bryce Colton for ages. But when she hears a rumor that he hooked up with her she gives him a choice: be her boyfriend for a month to show other guys that she's dateable-despite her overprotective and very intimidating brothers-or deal with the angry, cage-fighting boyfriend of the girl he actually did hook up with.

Bryce didn't know the other Haley even had a boyfriend. He was just trying to get his ex off his back. And now, not only is he being blackmailed, he's being blackmailed by an honor student. His new "girlfriend" has two three-legged dogs, her father mows grass at the country club, and she's...well, difficult. And different.

Can something so fake turn into something real?

 

 

My thoughts:

This review is going to be pretty short since this read really didn't really wow me in any way. It was alright but I'm finding it hard to have something to say about it which, in its own way, is exactly the problem.

I was on and off with the main character, Haley. Sometimes I thought she was a great, quirky character with a loving personality - she loves animals and does her best to help people out, but a lot of the time Haley came off really demanding. I think she was 'supposed' to come across as a strong female character that isn't afraid to ask for what she wants and work for it, but it was too strong and if someone behaved that way in real life you can guarantee they would push everyone around them away.

I felt the same way about Bryce but instead of being demanding, he was the opposite. Bryce couldn't seem to make any decisions and everything worked out in his way anyway. It was frustrating. To me, he was a poor character.

The ending also drove me crazy. I literally thought that 50 pages or so were missing. It was just way too easy - there was no fight involved and it made the characters look really weak.

Aside from all that though, there was a cute romance going. I like how Bryce changed throughout the story and I liked the secondary characters that helped him through it.

My rating: 5/10

Chris Cannon:

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Review: Like Candy by Debra Doxer

Title: Like Candy

Author: Debra Doxer

Series: Candy #1

Publication date: July 28th 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley 

Genre: YA | Romance | Contemporary 

Goodreads

 

 

Revenge is sweet, just like candy.

Candy Seaborne knows she’s badass. She takes after her father, an assassin and possibly a spy, although he won’t admit to either. She idolizes him. Her dream is to follow in his footsteps. But first, she has to finish high school.

Biding her time, waiting for real life to begin, Candy craves drama and isn’t above manufacturing some. If you’re a classmate who wronged her or a boyfriend who cheated, watch your back. She’s no pushover, and revenge may be her favorite pastime. 

Jonah Bryson is the senior class heartthrob who breaks all the stereotypes. He’s a jock, but he isn’t the typical player. He’s moody and antisocial. No girl has gotten anywhere with him since his last girlfriend broke his heart.

Candy sees Jonah as a challenge and the perfect distraction. But she may be in over her head because unlike everyone else, Jonah isn’t buying her tough act. He sees the lost, lonely girl inside. He sees too much. When he looks at her that way, she wants to let her guard down and be vulnerable. But that’s the last thing she should do because her father’s world is spilling over into hers, and life is about to get real much sooner than Candy expected.

My thoughts:

I'm a big fan of cutesy reads like this - girl falls for boy next door kind of reads  that don't take themselves too seriously and are more reads to get you out of a funk rather than something that will be reviewed on world building and incredibly complicated plot lines.

 

This book was one of those that was divided into half with one half being annoying and making me want to give up and the other half having the potential of a great read.

 

The beginning was terrible for me. I didn't like Candy - she came across as a spoilt brat and, considering her circumstances, it really didn't fit well into the story. Instead of being a relatable character, she came off too unapproachable with her fake 'I'm a boss' attitude. Also, on top of a horrific attitude problem, there didn't seem to be any redeeming personality traits or at least at first, so the read wasn't off to a great start.

 

When Theo, secondary character and main love interest, was introduced, Candy changed. On the one hand that wasn't exactly best seeing as the introduction of a mysterious boy causes this whole new Candy to emerge…sigh. But on the other hand, I was too relieved to be rid of that annoying, grating personality that was getting on my last nerve. I really began to warm up to the characters and it wasn't too far into the read either so I managed to give it a second chance.

 

During the middle of the book there was a great storyline going and a good bit of tension between characters as well as some hilarious pranks that broke up the story a bit. All was good and I couldn't wait for all the secrets to come out.

 

The last third of the book was disappointing, especially the ending. A lot of the focus of the read was on romance and so Candy's father's profession seemed out of place to me. It wasn't believable enough. At times it was just plain weird for such a light hearted read.

 

Maybe it was because there was no progression involved, but the read as a whole with mostly unconvincing with characters I couldn't relate to. There were no hints interspersed throughout the read to give some indication as to what should happen at the end. Normally I would  say that's a good thing since it makes a read unpredictable, but paired with unconvincing characters, it didn't work for me. The ending came out of nowhere.

 

Overall this read was okay but only just. It had moments where I genuinely thought it was getting to be a great read but sadly, instead it took one step forward and about ten back, ending up worse that it started out.

 

My rating: 4/10

 

Debra Doxer:

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Candy:

1. Like Candy
2. Sweet Liar

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Review: Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance

Title: Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance

Author: Danielle Younge-Ullman

Publisher: Entangled: Teen

Publication date: May 5th 2015

Format: Kindle | 304 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary 

Goodreads

 

Lola Carlyle is lonely, out of sorts, and in for a boring summer. So when her best friend, Sydney, calls to rave about her stay at a posh Malibu rehab and reveals that the love of Lola’s life, Wade Miller, is being admitted, she knows what she has to do.Never mind that her worst addiction is decaf cappuccino; Lola is going to rehab.

Lola arrives at Sunrise Rehab intent solely on finding Wade, saving him from himself, and—naturally—making him fall in love with her…only to discover she’s actually expected to be an addict. And get treatment. And talk about her issues with her parents, and with herself. Plus she has insane roommates, and an irritatingly attractive mentor, Adam, who’s determined to thwart her at every turn. 

Oh, and Sydney? She’s gone.

Turns out, once her pride, her defenses, and her best friend are stripped away, Lola realizes she’s actually got a lot to overcome…if she can open her heart long enough to let it happen.

My thoughts:

Well this definitely was a pleasant surprise.

When I read the summary of this book I just had to read it. Faking an addiction to get into rehab? Sounds like a disaster in the making - meaning it had potential to make a great read.

I'm not an avid fan of the contemporary genres. I mean I read plenty when I'm in the mood, but it's not my go to genre. So I can honestly say I've never read anything to do with rehab or addiction. It really made this read a breath of fresh air since it was so new to me. I never would have thought you could mix so serious of a topic with such a quirky character and a goofy romance thrown into the mix. I was surprised I still managed to take it so seriously.

I will say that Lola was not a likeable character at first. She did so many terrible things throughout the read and had such a bitchy attitude that she had a whole lot to make up for by the end of the book. I have a feeling a lot of people will stop reading because of it - she doesn't seem to be capable of both forgiveness or patience. All I can say is, you have to stick with it to get the full picture. She really does make up for it, I promise.

Not that I found this read to be perfect, I didn't. It had so many flaws that I almost stopped reading myself, but the ending really made up for it in my opinion.

I found Lola to be pretty dense. It was made more annoying by the fact that it seemed to be only because she took so long to figure things out. I do prefer characters to make sense of things over time throughout the read, not in one single epiphany where they make things right with some huge speech. It just makes things more realistic and relatable somehow. It became such a big part of the read, Lola acting out all over the place, that it took so much out of me to stay rooting for her. It all worked out in the end though and I did grow to love her again.

The love aspect of the read was incredibly predictable but no less enjoyable. Sometimes, I'm a sucker for a goofy romance, predictable or no. I loved Adam. So sexy - especially considering he was out of bounds and so smart…yummy. Wade not so much...

All in all this read was enjoyable for me. The main character does make up for her behaviour and I couldn't help but love her again. There were some great messages involved and some lovely characters that made me smile and feel for them.

My rating: 7/10

Danielle Younge-Ullman:

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Review: The Truth About Jack by Jody Gehrman

Title: The Truth About Jack

Author: Jody Gehrman

Series: N/A

Publisher: Entangled: Crush

Publication date: April 14, 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley | 192 pages

Genre: YA | Contemporary Romance

Goodreads

Dakota McCloud has just been accepted into a prestigious art school. Soon she'll leave behind the artists' colony where she grew up―hippie dad, tofu since birth, yurt―and join her boyfriend and best friend on the East Coast. It was the plan…until Dakota finds out her boyfriend and best friend hooked up behind her back. 

Hurt and viciously betrayed, Dakota pours out her heart on a piece of paper, places it in a bottle, and hurls it into the ocean. But it doesn't quite go where she expects…

Jack Sauvage finds the bottle washed up on the shore and responds to Dakota's letter. Except what if his straight-laced life doesn’t jive with the free-spirited girl he’s only seen from afar? As Jack creates a persona he believes she’ll love, they slowly fall for each other with each new letter. Now Jack is trying to find a way to make this delicate, on-paper romance happen in real life…without revealing his deception.

My thoughts:

What a cute story!

I've fallen in love with Jack. It's official. Where can I get me one of those?

Seriously I thought this book was adorable on so many different levels. Dakota was a lovely character who was really relatable to readers her age or otherwise. She was struggling with what she wants to do with her life - does she really want to go straight to college or to get some travelling done? We've all been there in some way right? 

I loved how artistic Dakota and Jack were. They really complimented each other and it made their relationship so real and easy going. Nothing was forced so it was something any reader would root for in the end. I couldn't wait for them to get together.

What I loved more than anything though, was the idea that friendship comes first. I hate the idea of the 'friend-zone'. So many people talk about how at the root of every relationship is some kind of friendship. I mean who would hate the idea of loving your best friend? Jack and Dakota were friends first and in the best way possible. They shared a connection - they were both artists, Dakota with her sculptures and Jack with his gorgeous pianist fingers. They understood each other, and that's why they worked so much better than most YA couples.

The only problem I had with this read was that I wanted more. And I don't mean that in the good way. At times I thought the read was a little rushed and I wanted to get to know the characters a lot more than the read allowed for. I wanted a little more of a fight and a little more of a resolved ending where the past is mentioned and there's some kind of closure. Especially for Jack. Especially between Jack and Miles, that was intense.

All in all I really enjoyed this read. It's super quick and it'll leave you wanting more for sure. Go check it out.

My rating: 8/10

Jody Gehrman:

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Review: The Virgin Romance Novelist

Title: The Virgin Romance Novelist

Author: Meghan Quinn

Series: N/A

Publisher: Hot-Lanta Publishing

Publication date: April 2nd 2015

Format: Kindle | Netgalley | 292 pages

Genre: Contemporary | Humour | New Adult 

Goodreads

Her bosom heaved at an alarming rate as his rough hand found its way down to her soft, yet wiry briar patch... 

Can you say briar patch in a romance novel? What about meat sword? That’s what it is…a meat sword, right, all meaty and sword like, slaying through the inner dungeons of a woman’s dark desires. What about breasts? Do bosoms really heave? 

God, I have no idea what happens when private parts touch. 

I’m a virgin trying to write a romance novel and can’t seem to write past a sex scene thanks to my lack of experience. 

My two best friends encourage me to drop the pen for a while and gain some real life practice through multiple dating facets such as blind dates, online profiles, and random hookups. 

But losing my virginity is proving to be tougher than expected…

 

 

My thoughts:

This is another one of those reads that you have to be in the right mood for. I really wanted something that would just constantly make me laugh - something light hearted and full of quirky characters that get up to all sorts. This was definitely that book to get me out of a bad mood.

I think the only way to enjoy this read is to take it as it's meant to be. It is pretty ridiculous with the things that go on - throwing up, running away from gangs of cats and general hilarious conversations are pretty much what this book is made up of. It was a blast.

I really liked these characters. Rosie made me laugh but she was also really relatable - to a certain extent at least, hopefully no one has to go through what she did! She was an ordinary young woman who wanted to get out there and experience life - she was unsure about her job, where she stood with her friends and most of all, she thought her love life was a disaster. But she took it on the chin for the most part and tried her best to figure things out. 

Even though this was supposed to be a fun read, I did think it needed more substance. Rosie went through potential dates like nobody's business and it just didn't pace well since around 4 happened in the span of one week, each with different guys. I also really wanted to hear more about the other important things in her life - she didn't spend a lot of time with her best friend (aside from Henry) and nothing else was mentioned about the work aspect of the story. I mean, the whole idea was Rosie trying to get experience in order to write a romance novel…but what happened to the actual novel after the experience part was done? I would have liked more.

 

Overall if you want a light, fluffy read that will make you laugh I would recommend this one. 

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Meghan Quinn:

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